Blush!!! Thanks Jella. I LOVE that these are platforms. I almost left them as is because they're so funny but then couldn't resist adding follage afterall. I think I'm just trying to avoid dealing with our coats. I've realized that we won't be able to sit on the string lights so I have to figure out where to place them for comfort. That will impact the design badly I'm afraid. I was hoping to have them go all over the coat now maybe they have to be just on the shoulders, sleeves and upper chest and back. Any ideas about this?

Orchid wrote:Emily, those shoes are awesome! Excellent work! :DHave you thought about adding a dab of glow-in-the-dark paint around the edges? It dries clear so won't mess up your beautiful daytime look.

GREAT IDEA Orchid! Thanks...will get some.

[quote="Tristanthegypsy]

OMG I forgot how hard putting linings in vests is.

*smacks head into wall*[/quote]

Yeah, linings are a BITCH! Are you using that slippery nylon stuff or something else? Is it too late to make it a reversible vest with non-slippy fabric?

EmilyD wrote: I think I'm just trying to avoid dealing with our coats. I've realized that we won't be able to sit on the string lights so I have to figure out where to place them for comfort. That will impact the design badly I'm afraid. I was hoping to have them go all over the coat now maybe they have to be just on the shoulders, sleeves and upper chest and back. Any ideas about this?

I've found myself in the same boat lighted coat wise. Got my battery op leds and ran to add them to the coats still puzzling it out Im glad I have open hems at the bottom of my lining though ! I think I'm gping to concentrate on adding them to the shoulders and sleeves. dk yet

Burning Man isn't about the stuff you see when you get there ....it's about the people that brought that stuff there

EmilyD wrote:Yeah, linings are a BITCH! Are you using that slippery nylon stuff or something else? Is it too late to make it a reversible vest with non-slippy fabric?

Yeah I'm using taffeta... part of the problem is I edited the pattern halfway through. so it doesn't perfectly match up with the outside.. which is fun fur. so turning the damn thing through the shoulder seams was very challenging. grr. Almost done.. just have to finish up the bottom somehow. I didn't follow the instructions very well cuz it was being a pain.

EmilyD wrote:Yeah, linings are a BITCH! Are you using that slippery nylon stuff or something else? Is it too late to make it a reversible vest with non-slippy fabric?

Yeah I'm using taffeta... part of the problem is I edited the pattern halfway through. so it doesn't perfectly match up with the outside.. which is fun fur. so turning the damn thing through the shoulder seams was very challenging. grr. Almost done.. just have to finish up the bottom somehow. I didn't follow the instructions very well cuz it was being a pain.

Do you have a surger? If so, you could just clean the ends of taffeta up and then press under 1/2" and hand hem it to the back of the fur. If you don't have a surger just fold a double hem under and again, hand stitch to the back of the fur.

I'll bet pulling that through the shoulder seams was tough. I always change commercial patterns too because frankly they're crap. They always make sewing so much harder than it needs to be and...they make you buy way more fabric than you actually need. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

trystanthegypsy wrote:I do have a serger but it's pretty new (well new to me) and I haven't figured out how to change the thread colour (re-thread it) yet... it came threaded with black :)

All done, I just have to add a button! Not sure if I'm gonna sell this one in my store or keep it... I ended up folding the fur over the lining on the bottom.

Commercial patterns are definitely frustrating. Not sure if I'll continue to use this one or not...

Here's a trick to changing thread colors. You basically cut the existing thread and tie the new thread to its end with a single knot then gently pull all the threads through the system. Here it is step-by-step:

*Cut the black thread at the top ends (close to the spools).

*Remove the black spools.

*Put the new color spools on the machine.

*Tie the new color thread ends to the snipped black thread.

*Carefully pull the threads through the entire system as you jocky the wheel (forward and back a bit so as not to pull the thread too hard).

*When you get to the eye of the needle the knot of the threads will probably not fit through so there you may have to cut and hand thread. Sometimes though the entire 3 or 4 threads change through just gently pulling through the system.

I have a question for some of the fabric gurus. I searched but found lots interesting answers to questions i wasn't asking.

I have some old baggy jeans, that i want to make sorta cut off long short things. I'm hoping to fray the edges were i cut so that they look like kinda stringy and old. But if I cut them with scissors I'll just have a straight edge. I also want to avoid the cut part kinda rolling up like cut fabric some times does.
Does any one know how to fray cut parts of denim? (other than wearing it for a couple years)
I was thinking that instead of using scissors maybe i would use a metal file or sander and just rub through it.
Any ideas?

Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out? ~pieholePlan for the worst, expect the best. Make the most out of it under any conditions. If you cannot do that you will never enjoy yourself. ~CrispyDave

lucky420 wrote:back in the olden days we used to just pick and pull the thread that goes horizontally out. Depending on how long you want the fringe it might take kind of a long time. Sorry I am not very crafty

It goes faster with a fork

Burning Man isn't about the stuff you see when you get there ....it's about the people that brought that stuff there

illy dilly wrote:I have a question for some of the fabric gurus. I searched but found lots interesting answers to questions i wasn't asking.

I have some old baggy jeans, that i want to make sorta cut off long short things. I'm hoping to fray the edges were i cut so that they look like kinda stringy and old. But if I cut them with scissors I'll just have a straight edge. I also want to avoid the cut part kinda rolling up like cut fabric some times does. Does any one know how to fray cut parts of denim? (other than wearing it for a couple years) I was thinking that instead of using scissors maybe i would use a metal file or sander and just rub through it.Any ideas?

illy dilly instead of just cutting them, snip only a bit then tear them. Then do take some tools to the fabric. Sanders, hammers, pound between two rocks, drive a car over them, abuse them. That's actually how they first "distressed" jeans back in the 80's.

illy dilly wrote:I have a question for some of the fabric gurus. I searched but found lots interesting answers to questions i wasn't asking.

I have some old baggy jeans, that i want to make sorta cut off long short things. I'm hoping to fray the edges were i cut so that they look like kinda stringy and old. But if I cut them with scissors I'll just have a straight edge. I also want to avoid the cut part kinda rolling up like cut fabric some times does. Does any one know how to fray cut parts of denim? (other than wearing it for a couple years) I was thinking that instead of using scissors maybe i would use a metal file or sander and just rub through it.Any ideas?

illy dilly instead of just cutting them, snip only a bit then tear them. Then do take some tools to the fabric. Sanders, hammers, pound between two rocks, drive a car over them, abuse them. That's actually how they first "distressed" jeans back in the 80's.

But don't go so far that things are falling off and creating moop.

The Lady with a Lamprey

"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri

illy dilly wrote:I have a question for some of the fabric gurus. I searched but found lots interesting answers to questions i wasn't asking.

I have some old baggy jeans, that i want to make sorta cut off long short things. I'm hoping to fray the edges were i cut so that they look like kinda stringy and old. But if I cut them with scissors I'll just have a straight edge. I also want to avoid the cut part kinda rolling up like cut fabric some times does. Does any one know how to fray cut parts of denim? (other than wearing it for a couple years) I was thinking that instead of using scissors maybe i would use a metal file or sander and just rub through it.Any ideas?

illy dilly instead of just cutting them, snip only a bit then tear them. Then do take some tools to the fabric. Sanders, hammers, pound between two rocks, drive a car over them, abuse them. That's actually how they first "distressed" jeans back in the 80's.

But don't go so far that things are falling off and creating moop.

Good point. You can also tear them up the leg to get that just-washed-up-on-shore pirate look. ;-)

Actually one of the coolest pair of jeans I ever saw was when my friend in Houston banged big ass wood nails (about 5" long) into her jeans all around the hem. They jangled like wind chimes when she walked. The only problem with them was she couldn't wash them in a washing machine.

aaaauuuugh I spent two days sewing the most awesome screaming yellow tiger print cargo pants that turned out to be 1 size too small for my husband...
* takes the bag of chips away*.. and says , ok honey you got a month to fit in these hahahahahaha

Burning Man isn't about the stuff you see when you get there ....it's about the people that brought that stuff there

jella wrote:aaaauuuugh I spent two days sewing the most awesome screaming yellow tiger print cargo pants that turned out to be 1 size too small for my husband... * takes the bag of chips away*.. and says , ok honey you got a month to fit in these hahahahahaha

Oh dear!

But! You may have actually done him a favor - a lot of people find they shrink up a bit on the playa (based on my highly scientific method of observing my campmates.)

McCalls 9576 has been my pattern of choice for 7 big ass furry coats. This was my first sewing project, easy to make short or long. The collar needs to be cut off in one piece and sewn back on reversed to make a non reversable coat. You can make the pockets HUGE!!! if you want. I have never bothered with liners or buttons just a big huge fur coat!!! Highly recomend. as for the seams on fur sewing...a brush or comb work well for getting the fur out of the way, as does cutting the fur off the edges. A little extra work on the prep makes the machine work soooo much easier.

giroux68 wrote:McCalls 9576 has been my pattern of choice for 7 big ass furry coats. This was my first sewing project, easy to make short or long. The collar needs to be cut off in one piece and sewn back on reversed to make a non reversable coat. You can make the pockets HUGE!!! if you want. I have never bothered with liners or buttons just a big huge fur coat!!! Highly recomend. as for the seams on fur sewing...a brush or comb work well for getting the fur out of the way, as does cutting the fur off the edges. A little extra work on the prep makes the machine work soooo much easier.

Thanks for the tips girous68. Do you mean you give the edges a haircut before sewing?